Foundation garment



AUS- 29 1967 M. LAGuzzl FOUNDATION GARMENT Filed March 1, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet l l Ff INV ENT OR y /f//le/a ,4 azz/ ATTORNEYS.

Aus- 29, 1967 M. LAGuzzl Y 3,338,245

FOUNDATION GARMENT Filed Marbh 1, 1965 5 sheets-$neet 2 INVENTOR..

ATTORNEY;

Aug. 29, 1967 M. LAGuzzl FOUNDATION GARMENT Filed March 1, 1965- (5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. ZZ/

M42/0 Aa BY A, i i l Y M t I ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent O 3,338,245 FOUNDATION GARMENT Mario Laguzzi, Long Island City, N.Y., assgnor to Poirette Corsets, Inc., New York, N.Y. Filed Mar. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 436,162 19 Claims. (Cl. 12S- 547) This invention relates to a foundation garment, and more particularly to such a garment as a girdle, a panty girdle, corselette, one-piece combination undergarment, or the like normally worn by women for controlling the contour of the gure.

A primary object of this invention resides in the provision of a foundation garment which is provided with additional reinforcing strips, preferably of elastic material, positioned in those locations where extra or supplemental figure restraint is required, wherein the bands and the stitching therefor are completely invisible, and so arranged as to give a smooth outside iinish without any markings or protuberances thereon which might be visible through the sheer outer garments currently worn under some conditions.

An additional important object of the invention is the provision of a garment of this nature wherein the reinforcing strips are stitched or otherwise secured to separate elastic or inelastic panels which in turn are secured to the interior of the foundation garment, so that no disguring stitches appear on the outer surface of the garment at all.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a garment of this character wherein the reinforcing strips may be readily applied to the inner side of `a girdle or panty girdle or the like with split elastic sections, full side sections, or any other desired arrangement, and wherein the strips will be so located as to provide the necessary control over those portions of the figure which most require such control, such as the front or stomach, the sides or hips, or the rear or buttocks, in any desired arrangement, either individually or in combination.

Additionally, the inner reinforcing strips or the supplementary or separate panels may be applied only to portions of the garment, or to the entire interior of the garment as particular figure conditions require.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved girdle of this character wherein adequate and positive ligure control is provided in those portions of the body where it is most necessary, and wherein the supplemental or reinforcing means, which in the illustrative ernbodiments herein shown are diagonally disposed reinforcing strips, are completely concealed, and leave no exterior protuberances or bulges on the outer surface of the garment.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out as the description of the invention proceeds and shown in the accompanying drawings wherein there are illustrated preferred embodiments of this inventive concept.

' In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is `an outside front elevational View of one form of garment, illustratively a panty girdle, embodying elements of the instant inventive concept;

FIGURE 2 is a rear lelevational view of the garment of FIGURE 1 from the outside, portions thereof being cutaway; y

FIGURE 3 is a front view of the garment of FIGURE 1, shown inside out, for clarity of constructional details;

' FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 but showing the rear of the garment;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 5 5 VofFIGURE l as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows; s.

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FIGURE 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 4 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 7 is a front elevational view of a modified form of construction;

FIGURE 8 is a rear elevational view of the garment shown in FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged sectional View taken substantially along the line 9 9 of FIGURE 8 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIG'URE 10 is a view similar to FIGURE 8 but showing a modified rear reinforcing structure;

FIGURE 1l shows a modified front structure which may be employed with either of the rear structures of FIGURE 8 or FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 12 is a front elevational view of a still further modified form of construction;

FIGURE 13 is a rear elevational View of the structure of FIGURE 12;

FIGURE 14 discloses a front elevational view of a still further modified form of construction; and

FIGURE 15 is a -rear elevational view of the construction of FIGURE 14.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Having yreference now to the drawings in detail, and more particularly to the species of the invention illustrated in FIGURE 1, there is generally indicated at 20 a panty girdle, which includes a front panel 21 and a rear panel 22, secured together by lines of stitching 23 along the sides thereof. Leg portions are provided by the addition of a crotch piece 24 and inside leg portions 25, the latter forming no part of the instant invention.

The edges of the front and rear panels where secured together may be reverted as at 26, and the reverted edge portions secured together by zigzag or cross-stitching 27. Preferably both the front and rear panels in this form of construction are of elastic material, although this is not essential to the inventive concept.

The bottoms of the leg portions may be finished and secured with suitable rows of ornamental stitching 28 and 29, and conventionalgarter tabs 30 carrying garters 31 are secured to the inner side of the panels in appropriate positions.'

The center portion of front panel 21 is cut away and provided with a pentagonal elastic orrinelastic insert 32, the overlapped edges of which are secured as by lines of stitching 33 to the adjacent edges of the opening. Supplementary panels 34, in this embodiment of the invention also comprised of elastic material and generally triangular in configuration, extend from the overlapped or reverted edges 26 of front panel 21 to the overlapped edges of the insert 32.

Similarly generally triangular rear supplementary panels extend from the opposite reverted edges 26 of rear panel 22 inwardly, the supplementary panels being secured along their edges only to the front and the rear panels by lines of stitching 36 and 37.

An extra thickness 40 of elastic or inelastic material is secured to the rear or seat portion of the garment, and has its edges overlapping the inner extremities of the supplementary panels 35, the margins of the double thickness panel being secured to rear panel 22 by lines of stitching 41.

Upper and lower diagonally disposed front reinforcing strips 42 and 43 respectively extend diagonally upwardly and downwardly from points underlying the overlapped edge of insert 32 to upper and lower portions of reverted edge 26 of front panel 21, being secured along their edges as at 44 and 45 respectively to the inner or supplementary front panels 34, the stitches not extending through or connecting with outer front panel 21. Similar elastic reinforcing bands 46 and 47, respectively, extend from points beneath the edges of rear double thickness panel 40 to points beneath the reverted edge 26 of rear panel 22 on either side thereof closely adjacent the meeting points of strips 42 and 43, respectively. The strips 42 and 43, and 46 and 47 are preferably of one-way stretch elastic, with their elasticity extending longitudinally of the strips. Lines of stitching 48 and 49, respectively, corresponding to the stitching 44 and 45, secure the rear bands to panels 35, but do not extend through or connect with rear panel 22 in any way.

An ornamental panel 50, preferably of lace or other inelastic material, may be secured, if desired, to the outer side of front insert 32, although this is unnecessary.

The top of the garment is preferably nished with a supplemental band 51 of elasticized material, which is secured by rows of stitching 52 and 53.

In this particular form of the invention, the greatest stress is along the side portions of the garment rather than directly to the front or the rear, and the greatest support is afforded thereby. All of the panels have been hereinbefore described as elastic, but it will be understood that the panel arrangement may be varied, and the front and rear panels may be made in two pieces, rather than one, or alternatively, the garment may be comprised of front, rear, and side panels, as will be discussed hereinafter. Various arrangements of the elastic strips, which have been hereinbefore described as elastic in one direction only, are contemplated, and they may run diagonally in a multiplicity of directions either along the front, the rear, the sides, or any combinations thereof.

It will be obvious that the reinforcing strips are completely invisible from the exterior of the garment, and will not protrude or bulge through the front of the garment, when the garment is worn with tight-fitting outer garments.

FIGURE 7 discloses a modified form of the invention, but. one incorporating substantially the same inventive concept.

In this form of the invention a girdle is generally indicated at 60, and comprises a front panel 61, to which are attached side panels 62, the usual garter tabs 63 being associated therewith. The front panel is formed in two pieces, the edges of which are reverted as in the previously discussed modification and joined by a central line of stitching 64. An inelastic ornamental front piece 65 maybe provided if desired and overlie an insert corresponding to the insert 32. Generally triangular supplementary inner panels 64 are provided beneath the opposite sides of the front panel, and suitably secured thereto by lines of stitching 65. On the inner sides of the panel 64 are diagonal reinforcing strips 66, in this case there being three of these strips, the construction of which is substantially identical to those of the foregoing modification. In this modification the additional support is provided for the abdomen, with the sides being normally held in position by ordinary elastic. If desired a zipper 65x may be employed in one of the side panels to facilitate the putting on and removal of the garment. The girdle of FIGURE 7 may have either of two rear portions, as shown in FIGURES 8 and 10, respectively. If the rear portion of FIGURE 8 is employed, auxiliary rear panels 70 are secured to the sides of side panels 62, and secured by longitudinal rows of stitching 71 to a central rear panel 72. The panels 70 and 72 may be made of elastic or inelastic material as desired, and are provided along the line of juncture between panel 72 and its auxiliary panel 70 with longitudinally extending pockets 73, as best shown in FIGURE 9, longitudinally sewn along their edges by lines of stitching 74. The pockets 73 are open at their tops, and contain flexible but relatively rigid ribs 75 or stays, which serve as additional reinforcement for the rear of the garment. In the modification shown in FIGURE 10 the auxiliary panels 70a are substantially identical exteriorly to the panels 70, the pockets 73, and

rear center panel 72 being identical, but the side panels 7 0a are provided with auxiliary internally positioned panels 76, which are secured along their edges by lines of stitching 77 to the auxiliary panels 70a and in turn provided internally with diagonally extending reinforcing strips 78.y

In this modification greater support and constraint is given to the rear of the figure.

Still another form of the invention is disclosed in FIG- URE 1l wherein a front panel generally indicated at 80 includes a pair of components 61a secured together by a central line of stitching 64a, which in turn are secured to side panels 62 identical with the previously described side panels, one of which may include a zippery 65x. An ornamental inelastic front panel 69a corresponding to the previously described panel 69 of FIGURE 7 may also be employed. In this form of the invention, however, the

interior panels or supplementary panels 64 and their' diagonal reinforcing front strips 66 are omitted, this garment being employed with the rear portion shown in FIG- URE l0, so that the greatest support is for the rear of the hips. Also in this modification pockets 73a may be provided internally along the juncture between the panels 61a and the side panels 62, and these pockets may contain stays substantially identical to the stays 75, although if desired these stays may extend the full length of the garment.

FIGURES 12 and 13 respectively disclose front and rear elevational views of a further modified form of girdle embodying the instant inventive concept, which is generally indicated at 90, and which includes a single outer panel which extends entirely around the body and is secured along its confronting edges at the rear as at 91. Thus in the single panel are incorporated front, rear, and side panels. An elastic or inelastic insert 92 may be provided at the front of the garment, and stitched thereto along its edges by a row of stitching 93. Garter tabs 94 are provided and a decorative inelastic outer panel 95 may ovcrlie the insert 92. A contoured supplementary or inner panel extends to the top of the front of the garment, and thence downwardly at the sides being secured by lines of stitching as indicated at 96, the top of the supplementary panel extending inwardly and rearwardly as at 97, and upwardly as at 98 to an apex at the seam 91. The opposite. side of the garment is similarly contoured interiorly, the lines of stitching designated by the reference characters indicating the contour of the upper portion of the supplementary panel. The lower portion of the panel extends downwardly at 99 to the base thereof, and is cut upwardly as at 100 in front to provide freedom of movement of the legs. Similarly the rear of the lower portion of the supplementary panel is upward cut as at 101., In this modification elastic strips 102 similar to those previously described extend diagonally around the garment from a point 103 adjacent the bottom of the rear upwardly to points adjacent the cener of insert 92 and the top of the garment, respectively, as indicated at 104 and 105 in FIGURE 12. Additional diagonal strips 106 extend downwardly from the top of the sides to points adjacent the center of the insert 92. This arrangement is preferable for relatively slight figures wherein support is required at the upper abdomen and the lower portion of the buttocks, but in the case as in those previously described fthe stitching securing the reinforcing strips to the supplementary panel does not extend through the outer portion of the garment.

Another modified form of the invention is disclosed at FIGURE 14, wherein a girdle is generally indicated at 110, and includes a front panel 111 having a rear panel 112 secu-red thereto by vertical lines of stitching 113. The front panel may have an elastic insert 114 and a decorative outer center portion 115 of inelastic material if desired. In this example of the invention the front panel isV plain, and unreinforced, while the rear panel has a supplementary or inner panel 116 secured interiorly thereof by upper and lower lines of stitching 117 and 118, respectively. Diagonal reinforcingv strips 119 and 120 extend from opposite sides of the lower portion of the rear panel 112 upwardly and across the center, to opposite sides of the top thereof as indicated in dotted lines in FIGURES 14 and 15. In this modification of the garment adequate support is thus provided to the posterior, while reduced support is provided to the sides of the hips and the abdomen.

In this modification as in those previously described the reinforcing strips are secured only to the supplementary panel and not to the outer panel.

In the foregoing various modifications and embodiments of the instant invention have been illustrated and described, it being understood that a wide variety of other applications, arrangements of elastic and inelastic panels, including arrangements of one-way and two-way stretch alternated or otherwise arranged are contemplated within the scope of the instant inventive concept. It is also contemplated that if desired the inner or supplementary panels herein described may be omitted, and the reinforcing bands secured directly to the inner surface of the outer panel, although this latter modification has been proven less desirable than those herein described.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved girdle construction, which accomplishes all of the objects of this invention, and other, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiments hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A foundation garment comprising a body formed of material defining front, rear and side portions, supplementary panels of elastic material secured to the inner side of said body beneath at least portions of said material, and reinforcing strips secured to the inner sides of at least some of said supplementary panels, the securing means extending only through the supplementary panels and being concealed by said material.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said reinforcing strips comprise relatively narrow diagonally disposed strips of elastic material secured by stitching extending only through said supplementary panels to the inner sides of said some of said supplementary panels.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said garment is a girdle.

4. The structure of claim 2 wherein said garment is a panty girdle.

5. The structure of claim 2 wherein said body is formed of a plurality of panels some of which are elastic and others are of inelastic material.

6. The structure of claim 5 wherein said supplementary panels underlie only said elastic panels.

7. The structure of claim 1 wherein said reinforcing strips extend diagonally of the vertical axis of the garment.

8. The structure of claim 7 wherein said reinforcing strips are of one-way stretch material and elastic only along their longitudinal axis.

9. The structure of claim 5 wherein said garment includes front and rear panels and said supplementary panels and said elastic strips underlie said front panel only.

10. The structure of claim 5 wherein said garment includes front and rear panels and said supplementary panels and said elastic strips underlie said rear panel only.

11. The structure of claim 5 wherein said garment includes front, rear, and side panels and said supplementary panels and said elastic strips underlie said side panels only.

12. The structure of claim 5 wherein said garment includes front, rear, and side panels and said supplementary panels and said elastic strips underlie said front and side panels only.

13. The structure of claim 5 wherein said garment includes front, rear, and side panels and said supplementary panels and said elastic strips underlie said front and rear panels only.

14. The structure of claim 5 wherein said garment includes front, rear, and side panels and said supplementary panels and said elastic strips underlie said side and rear panels only.

15. The structure of claim 1 wherein said supplementary panels and said strips extend diagonally entirely around said garment.

16. The structure of claim 5 wherein certain of said panels include longitudinally extending pockets, and relatively stifl flexible reinforcing stays are positioned in said pockets.

17. The structure of claim 2 wherein said garment is a corselette.

18. The structure of claim 2 wherein said garment is a combination one-piece undergarment.

19. A foundation garment comprised of an outer body of elastic material, comprising front, rear and side portions, a contoured supplementary inner panel extending from the top of the center of the front of the garment downwardly at the sides, the top portion of said supplementary panel then extending inwardly and upwardly to the top of the rear of the garment, the bottom of said supplementary panel being cut upwardly on opposite sides of the center of the front, downwardly at the sides and upwardly at the sides of the rear, and then down- Wardly at the center of the rear, and elastic strips secured to said supplementary panel only on the inner side thereof and extending diagonally completely around said garment.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,665,424 1/ 1954 Barckley 128--547 2,675,548 4/1954 Leonard 12S-546 2,745,103 5/1956 Van Horne 12S-546 2,803,822 8/1957 Dayle 12S-554 2,949,917 8/1960 Arcuri 128-541 3,044,471 7/ 1962 Morehouse 128-548 3,121,428 2/1964 Laguzzi 128-548 3,142,302 7/ 1964 Schoniberg 12S-542 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,125,814 7/1956 France.

ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner. 

1. A FOUNDATION GARMENT COMPRISING A BODY FORMED OF MATERIAL DEFINING FRONT, REAR AND SIDE PORTIONS, SUPPLEMENTARY DEFINING OF ELASTIC MATERIAL SECURED TO THE INNER SIDE OF SAID BODY BENEATH AT LEAST PORTIONS OF SAID MATERIAL, AND REINFORCING STRIPS SECURED TO THE INNER SIDES OF AT LEAST SOME OF SAID SUPPLEMENTARY PANELS, THE SECURING 